1. Preparation for the election campaign.

2. Nomination and registration of candidates for deputies. Pre-election campaigning.

3. Organization of voting of voters, determination of results and determination of general election results.

Military personnel are equal citizens of Russia. They have the right to vote and be elected to State and local government bodies, and to participate in referendums. The electoral legislation of Russia guarantees this right, while largely taking into account the specifics of the laws under which military voters live. The main purpose of this article is to help military personnel understand the significantly updated electoral legislation, which is not simple in content and not small in volume.

Within the next year, in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal legislation, regular elections of deputies of the State Duma of the third convocation and the President of the Russian Federation will be held. In the same period, the term of office ends and elections of legislative (representative) bodies and heads of executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation will be held in 39 and 56 regions, respectively. The process of updating the heads of municipalities and representative bodies of local self-government will also continue.

The term of office of current deputies of the State Duma expires on December 17. The voting day for regular elections is determined on the first Sunday after the day when the constitutional term for which the deputies of the previous convocation were elected expires. The appointment of elections must take place not earlier than five and not later than four months before the voting day. These are the requirements of the law. In this regard, the next presidential election is scheduled for December 19, 1999.

So, the nearest election campaign is the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the third convocation. It will be conducted on the basis of substantially updated electoral legislation.

On April 6 of this year, amendments and additions to the Federal Law of 1997 "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum"were published and entered into force. It defines legal, organizational, informational and other conditions for the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums, under which guarantees are provided for the exercise by citizens of the country of their electoral rights. This Law has direct effect and is applied throughout the Russian Federation.

On July 1, Rossiyskaya Gazeta published a new Federal law "On Elections of Deputies to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation". Its consideration in the State Duma took almost a year and a half. A long debate about what electoral system should be used in the election of legislators, how deputies elected in single-mandate electoral districts and on the lists of electoral associations (political parties, movements, other political public associations and their blocs) should be combined in the Duma, what additional obstacles can be put in the way of penetration of criminal elements into power structures, The spread of so-called "dirty technologies", how to make the sources of funding for candidates and electoral associations transparent to the voter, and eliminate the possibility of falsifying the results of voting and elections, led to such a content of the Law that became acceptable to the majority of deputies, members of the Federation Council and the President of Russia.

The law contains a whole set of measures designed to create conditions for the voter, under which he will be able to make a truly informed choice, and the election results will really reflect the will of citizens. Now it is important that the provisions of the Law are implemented during the election campaign in full accordance with its spirit and letter. A great deal in achieving truly fair, open and transparent elections will depend on the Central and regional election commissions, whose composition is being updated almost everywhere, and this process will be almost complete by the beginning of the election campaign.

It seems that it will be easier for the reader to understand what is happening if (of course, conditionally) the period leading up to the voting day is divided into stages according to the nature of the pre - election tasks being solved, or, as election organizers say, electoral actions.

The time preceding the appointment by the President of the Russian Federation of the next election of deputies to the State Duma is called the stage of preparation for the election campaign. During this period:

- the current electoral legislation is being formed or amended. The main laws adopted by the State Duma were mentioned above. At the same time, deputies are considering a number of amendments and additions to the laws related to liability for violations of the updated election legislation, the powers of some law enforcement, judicial and other state bodies to monitor their implementation. The Central Election Commission of Russia is preparing regulatory and methodological documents explaining the procedure for applying certain provisions of laws;

- regular registration (registration) of voters is carried out as of July 1, 1999. Registration of military personnel, their family members and other voters residing on the territory of a military unit or military camp is organized by the commanders of military units. Military personnel and their family members who live outside the territory of a military unit are registered on a general basis by the registration authorities at their place of residence;

- The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation prepares proposals for the formation of single-member electoral districts throughout Russia and submits them for consideration by deputies of the State Duma. There are 225 such districts. Citizens permanently or predominantly residing in the territory of a single-mandate electoral district may elect one deputy.;

- political public associations are determined to participate in the upcoming elections, formulate their election programs, develop strategies and tactics for pre-election actions, and identify possible candidates. During this period, each association evaluates its capabilities and decides whether to participate in the elections independently or to look for close allies to form an electoral bloc;

- at the same time, citizens who think about personal participation "in the race for deputy mandates" decide for themselves the question "to be or not to be". Potential candidates carefully analyze the situation not only in the country, but also in the single-mandate district in which they are going to run, understand the mechanisms for nominating their candidates, and think through their actions in detail when the election campaign begins.

The second stage is the period of nominating and registering candidates for deputies of the State Duma in single-mandate electoral districts and lists of candidates from electoral associations and blocs in the federal electoral district, forming and organizing the activities of election commissions that are closest to the voter.

This stage begins on the day of calling the election and ends with the end of registration of candidates for single-mandate electoral districts and lists of candidates for the federal electoral district. Registration of candidates by the relevant election commissions must be completed 45 days before the voting day.

A citizen who has decided to run as a candidate in one of the single-mandate electoral districts, notifies the relevant district election commission and starts collecting signatures of voters of this district in support of his candidacy. He and his team must collect signatures from at least 1 percent of the total number of registered voters in the district. What is new is that the collection of signatures can be replaced by an electoral deposit from the funds of the electoral fund formed from the funds of the candidate, funds allocated to the candidate by the electoral association or bloc that nominated him, the district election commission, and from voluntary donations from citizens and legal entities. The permissible amount of financial support for a candidate by each "sponsor" is set out in the Law. At the same time, the maximum amount of all expenses of a candidate cannot exceed the minimum wage by more than 10 thousand times.

An electoral association or bloc that has decided to nominate a list of candidates submits it together with other documents stipulated by law to the CEC of the Russian Federation and, having received certified copies of these lists, proceeds to collect signatures of voters in support of them. For them, the number of valid signatures required for registration is at least 200 thousand. At the same time, one subject of the Russian Federation should account for no more than 14 thousand of the number of signatures required for registration. The collection of signatures may also be replaced by the payment of an electoral deposit from the electoral fund of an electoral association or block, which is formed only at the expense of the funds of the electoral association or block, funds allocated by the CEC of the Russian Federation, and voluntary donations from citizens and legal entities. The amount of funds allocated to electoral funds of electoral associations or blocs is also strictly limited by law.

If the person who made the deposit and registered candidate is not elected and received less than 5 percent of the votes based on the results of voting, and the electoral association or block is not allowed to distribute deputy mandates and received less than 3 percent of the votes of the voters who took part in the voting, the electoral deposit paid by them is transferred to the income of the relevant budget. As the saying goes, don't get in the wrong sleigh.

Officials of the Armed Forces should be guided by the provision of the Law that military units, military institutions and organizations are prohibited from making donations to any electoral funds.

On the eve of collecting signatures of voters in support of candidates nominated in a single-mandate or federal electoral district, and during their registration, the foundations are laid to prevent the penetration of criminal and other undesirable elements into power, and the use of so-called "dirty technologies". The related measures mainly solve two problems:

first, give the voter the most real information about the candidates. For this purpose, each candidate submits information on income and its sources, property that belongs to him by right of ownership, information on citizenship, including citizenship of a foreign state and the grounds for its acquisition. A candidate for a deputy's mandate is required to report on outstanding and outstanding criminal records, information about which is placed on the ballot.;

Secondly, they allow election commissions to take adequate measures, including refusal to register or cancellation of registration, and, if necessary, to use the powers of law enforcement agencies. The new Law prohibits candidates, electoral associations, their authorized representatives and proxies from engaging in charitable activities during the election campaign, provides for the suppression of various methods of covert bribery of voters, pressure on their expression of will, organization of their delivery to the place of voting and other measures.

The possibilities of early voting, which was used for abuse, including in military units, were significantly reduced.

The pre-election campaign stage starts from the day of registration and ends at zero hours local time one day before the voting day. Registered candidates, electoral associations and blocs have the right to conduct pre-election campaigning in any form that is not prohibited by law. During the same period, territorial and precinct election commissions are formed and start their activities.

We should immediately note that military units, military institutions and organizations are prohibited from conducting pre-election campaigning, releasing and distributing any campaign materials. Article 24 of the Federal Law "On Defense" (Hie) allows the activities of political parties and other public associations that pursue political goals, and also prohibits the conduct of any political propaganda and agitation, including pre-election propaganda, in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, military formations and bodies.

You can often hear reproaches that a military voter during the election campaign "is excluded from information, is not able to decide for himself how to dispose of his vote, and acts as the commander says." This is either a delusion related to ignorance of military legislation, or the "delusion" of a not disinterested person.

First, military personnel are provided with conditions for exercising their right to receive information. The staff dormitories have both electronic mass media and periodicals. The latter, for obvious reasons, are not enough. But everyone has the right to subscribe to any newspaper or magazine at their own discretion.

Secondly, a serviceman has the right to participate in meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and picketing held outside the territory of a military unit when he is not performing his official duties. This is stated in article 7 of the Federal Law "On the Status of Military Personnel". It is obvious that the military voter is not deprived of the right to attend any pre-election events.

Third, in coordination with election commissions, information materials prepared by them about registered candidates, electoral associations and blocs are sent to military units for familiarization with voters and posted in places accessible to military personnel.

Fourth, military personnel get acquainted with registered candidates, electoral associations and blocs during classes on improving the legal culture of voters, and any campaigning is not allowed.

Thus, the military voter receives enough information to make his choice conscious and independent.

Simultaneously with the beginning of pre-election campaigning, electoral precincts are formed and precinct election commissions are formed.

Military personnel are known to vote at general polling stations. The establishment of electoral precincts directly on the territories of military units is allowed only on an exceptional basis, if they are located in isolated areas remote from populated areas. Such polling stations are formed by the commander of a military unit upon the decision of the relevant district election commission. He also appoints the composition of the precinct election commission based on the decision of the meeting of voters of the military collective. Based on the experience of past elections, the precinct commission includes representatives proposed by meetings of officers, ensigns and midshipmen, meetings of conscripted military personnel, civilian personnel, women's councils, and residents of a military camp.

The law requires that precinct election commissions include representatives proposed by electoral associations and electoral blocs that have factions in the State Duma, in the legislative (representative) body of state power of a subject of the Russian Federation and in the representative body of local self-government.

Ensuring access of voters, members of precinct and higher-level election commissions, registered candidates, their proxies and observers to the polling station and to the premises of the precinct election commission is of fundamental importance. For this purpose, where there is such a possibility, it is advisable to allocate these premises outside the territory of security facilities, and at checkpoints to have a list of persons who enjoy the right of unhindered access to the premises of the precinct commission and voting premises.

No later than 26 days before the voting day, election commissions draw up lists of voters for each polling station. The law obliges the commander of a military unit to submit by this time the necessary information about military personnel who are in the military unit, their family members and other voters, if they live on the territory of the military unit. The information should not contain any information about the voter's military service, military rank, or position. All voters, military personnel, and civilians are listed in alphabetical order in the information.

A serviceman, like any other citizen of Russia located outside its territory, enjoys full electoral rights. In military units that perform peacekeeping tasks or are located in other states in accordance with international treaties and agreements, electoral precincts are formed and election commissions are formed in the same manner as it is done internally.

countries where military units are located in areas remote from populated areas. At the same time, the commander closely interacts with the diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Russian Federation in the host countries of military formations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Such polling stations are open for voting not only for military personnel, but also for other Russian citizens who are in these countries and have an active right to vote.

The crown of all pre-election work is the organization of voting, determination of its results and establishment of general election results.

At the final stage, the efforts of all the organizers and participants of the electoral process, the mood and preferences of voters are clearly manifested.

It is still too early to talk more specifically about the situation that the voter will face on election day. But it is quite obvious that it will not be easy. Suffice it to say that by the deadline set by Law, 139 political public associations have been re-registered or registered for the first time, which have the right to participate in the upcoming election campaign and nominate candidates both in single-mandate electoral districts (one per district from each association) and a list of candidates (no more than 270) for the federal electoral district. At the last elections in some constituent entities of the Russian Federation, 20-25 or more candidates are registered for one mandate of the head of a region or territory. If the same activity is shown during the elections in single-mandate electoral districts, the voter will find himself in a very difficult situation.

To this we must add a considerable probability of combining in a number of regions the elections of deputies of the State Duma with elections to state authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, heads of municipalities and other elected local self-government bodies. Thus, a voter can be given from two to six ballots on the day of voting, and each one contains a considerable list of applicants.

It is useful for both military and civilian voters to know that if, for any reason, they are unable to arrive at the polling station where they are included in the list of voters on the voting day, they have the right to receive an absentee certificate in the relevant territorial (45-25 days before the voting day) or precinct (except for 24-1 day before the voting day) of the election commission and take part in voting at the polling station where he will be located on the voting day, but within the electoral district where he has an active right to vote. Let's make it clear that we are talking about the boundaries of the electoral district in which the candidate permanently or predominantly resides.

And one more thing. As mentioned above, the possibilities of early voting in the upcoming elections are significantly narrowed. It is allowed to vote early, not earlier than 15 days before the voting day of all voters in one or several polling stations formed on ships that will be sailing on the voting day, as well as at polar stations, in remote and hard-to-reach areas. This category may include military personnel who, on the day of voting, may be on duty shifts and calculations, in guards who are located at a significant distance from the polling station where these military personnel are included in the voter list. The decision on this will probably be made by the relevant election commissions. Any mass early voting is out of the question.

It is impossible to describe all the details of future elections in one publication. You need to work independently with the Law. The author is ready to answer any questions that may arise from military voters. Please send your questions to the editorial office of Orientir magazine.

Evgeny POPOV, member of the working group of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on organizational and technical support of State Duma elections

Permanent link to this publication: